1. Technical Field
Example embodiments of the present invention relate to an environment that uses an eUICC, and more specifically, to a method and device for providing a SIM profile to an eUICC online
2. Related Art
A universal integrated circuit card (UICC) is a smart card that is inserted into a terminal and used as a module for user authentication. The UICC may store a user's personal information and carrier information about a mobile carrier to which the user subscribes. For example, the UICC may include an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) to identify the user.
The UICC is called as a subscriber identity module (SIM) card in a global system for mobile communications (GSM) method, and a universal subscriber identity module (USIM) card in a wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA) method.
When the user installs the UICC in the user's terminal, user authentication is automatically performed using information stored in the UICC so that the user may conveniently use the terminal. When the user replaces the terminal, the user may detach the UICC from the old terminal and reinstall it in a new terminal, to easily replace the terminal.
Meanwhile, it is difficult to downsize a terminal which requires a compact size, for example, a terminal for machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, when the terminal is manufactured to have a detachable UICC. Therefore, an embedded UICC (eUICC) structure that is a non-detachable UICC has been proposed.
Since an existing UICC is detachable from the terminal, the user may activate the terminal regardless of a type of the terminal or a mobile carrier. However, a UICC that is embedded when a terminal is manufactured may include an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) in the eUICC when it is assumed that the UICC is used for only a specific mobile carrier. In order to, for example, order, activate, and terminate the terminal, the eUICC needs to get information (for example, an IMSI) on a user of the corresponding UICC through, for example, downloading.
In the eUICC that is integrally installed in the terminal, the UICC is installed in the terminal when the terminal is manufactured and released, unlike the existing detachable UICC. Due to its non-detachable physical structure, it is necessary to remotely download from an external location and install in the eUICC a network operator authentication key (K), a UICC data file (a network access file, an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), a home public land mobile network (HPLMN), etc.), a user information file (for example, a short message service (SMS) file, a phonebook, etc.), and an applet, etc.
That is, the eUICC device having the UICC embedded in the terminal when the terminal is released needs to remotely manage SIM profile information due to its non-separable physical characteristics of the UICC from the terminal.